Topics - lopezst1

Alright, so I'm trying my best to figure out what schools are realistic given my credentials. I really want to go to a T14 school if at all possible, but a T25 might be okay as long as it's a really good fit. Here's my details:

As I said, 169 on the LSAT with a 3.18 GPA as a philosophy major. I'm Hispanic but not the kind that they generally care much about (I'm Spanish). Could still possibly work in my favor but I'm not banking on it. It's also been three years since I graduated school. I have good personal relationships with several very reputable lawyers and could get great letters of rec.

I took the LSAT this past December. I definitely could have done better on it, since I only really studied hard for 3-4 weeks and almost puked during the test due to an upset stomach. I'm considering taking it again but also not sure if it's worth it. Let's say I get a 173 the second time around. Since I know a lot of schools average scores, will it really affect the outcome substantially?

The big question here is, what are my odds of making it into a T14? T25? What if I'm able to improve my score slightly? Is my GPA a death knell? I heard Northwestern is favorable to splitters, might I consider going there? I currently live in Michigan and have also considered U of M, but honestly I'm more concerned with the quality of the school than with where it is. I'm mainly so skittish about this because I am aware of the horrible job market for lawyers and want to go to a place that is going to pay off, not somewhere that's going to get me a job as a secretary at a law firm. Anyone who can speak to this element of my post would be greatly appreciated as well. In fact, that may be the most important part of this whole post. Thanks in advance for your help!